June 1
THE Mandalay Region Agriculture Department targets to cultivate 7,606 new acres of sugarcane in four townships of Mandalay Region in the 2022- 2023 Financial Year.
The pedigree sugarcane variety will be distributed to the growers in four townships in PyinOoLwin District. The projected acres are 606 in Madaya, 4,000 in Singu, 1,000 in Thabeikkyin and 2,000 in Tagaung, totalling 7,606 acres, said Daw Khaing Mo Mo Zin, deputy officer of the Mandalay Region Agriculture Department.
“Sugarcane likes moist soil. It has disorders with temperature extremes. It’s cultivated in November and December. The department demonstrated model farming acres and on-farm trials to distribute pedigreed varieties. It also connects the growers with the sugar mills to adopt a contract farming system which helps the growers provide agricultural inputs.
Sugarcane is a lucrative crop if systematically grown. So I like to suggest the growers choose sugarcane crops. Technical assistance is also provided to maintain quality control of sugarcane and guarantee a steady income for the growers, she said.
There are 18 sugarcane varieties found across the region. They are five native sugarcane varieties (CO-775, F-15C, Yezin 1, VMC- 74, 527 and Yezin 2) and 13 other highly-yielded varieties. — Min Htet Aung (Mandalay Sub-Printing House)/GNLM
